


Sweet Words And Fevers

by starkboi



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Hurt Bucky Barnes, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Injuries, Multi, POV Tony Stark, Protective Steve Rogers, Protective Tony Stark, Slight Panic Attack, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-14 14:54:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11785497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkboi/pseuds/starkboi
Summary: Steve and Bucky aren't back when they said they would be, Tony worries. His worries turn out to be justified.





	Sweet Words And Fevers

**Author's Note:**

> content warning: there's some descriptions of blood and open wounds but i tried to keep them brief 
> 
> enjoy!

The beat up T.V. is on low volume and Tony takes a minute to watch the weather woman in a god awful yellow pantsuit inform 11a.m. viewers of the 70% chance of rain in their future. Judging by the tell-tale trickle of water moving through the gutters above, Tony decides she can keep her job, questionable fashion choices aside.

They’ve been holed up in a shitty roadside motel for the past 3 days, their room is on the second floor and they’ve been squeezing into a queen-sized bed every night. Not that Tony’s made any complaints of being in between two beefed up super soldiers, it’s just all very family road trip. Their definition of road trip meaning half planned missions to chase subgroups of the ever-infamous Hydra of course. But, far be it from Tony to tell Steve and Bucky they’re plan to erase every Hydra head from the face of the earth might be futile, this has been almost 80 years in the making for the two.

It’s all been going well, they’ve had no problems kicking ass and taking names so far. Steve and Bucky had left late last night and promised Tony profusely they’d be back before he’d be up. The jokes on them, because Tony hasn’t even been to sleep, after so long sleeping with two other people it’s more than a little lonely by himself. 

The fact that they haven’t come back or even checked in by text, has Tony anxious. He can hear the rain really start to pick up outside, adding a storm in the mix is the last thing he needs to calm his worries. Tony knew he should have insisted to go along with them, but Steve had been adamant that they were only going to scope out the site they suspected some Hydra agents to be bunkering down in, and Bucky—the bastard, had kissed Tony into submission with his sharp tongue and promises of a satisfying reunion in the morning.

There’s about a million different scenarios running through Tony’s head, so many things could go wrong, and damn them both for convincing him not to bring any suits. Of course, he still has his suitcase armor in the trunk of the car in the parking lot, but if his paranoia turns out to be wrong and Steve catches him out for lying, Tony would rather not deal with Steve Rogers’ I’m disappointed in your actions face.

Tony stands up from the creaky bed and turns off the T.V., news about the nation’s current political situation is not helping calm himself down. Without the hum of the television, Tony’s stuck listening to thunder start to rumble overhead. He goes to lay back down—or else he’ll start pacing and won’t be able to stop.

The bed still smells like Steve’s shampoo and a twinge metallic from Bucky, it’s comforting enough that Tony starts to lull to sleep, so he lets himself catch up on his lost sleep from the night before.

-

Tony’s startled awake by the sound of the room door slamming open. He’s out of bed and switching the bedside lamp on in what feels like the longest two seconds in his life. Inside the doorway is Steve soaked from the rain, holding up Bucky who’s just as dripping wet. The clock on the nightstand reads 7p.m. and Tony’s heart is still thumping hard inside his chest from the scare.

Steve hauls Bucky a couple more feet until he’s dropping him into one of the chairs next to the mini fridge. Tony manages to unglue his feet from his stance and moves towards the bathroom to grab them towels to get dry.

Walking back into the room, Tony see’s Steve crouching in front of Bucky effectively covering him from Tony’s view.

“Where the hell have you guys been?” Tony questions, before handing a towel to Steve and walking to Bucky’s side to give him his.

And that’s when he sees the blood, dark red staining Bucky’s once clean blue jeans.

Tony makes an aborted noise, and Bucky looks up at him with a small pained smile, “It’s alright Tony, S’not my blood,” Bucky slurs.

Tony turns his head to Steve who just shakes his head with a grimace. Tony takes in a steadying breath and quietly says to Steve, “There’s a first aid kit in the trunk of the car, go grab it and I’ll get him to lay down.”

Steve sends him a grateful look, and Tony has to give himself a second to breathe through his internal freak out.

“Let’s get you over to the bed Bucky, so I can take a look at where all of that blood that’s not yours is coming from,” Tony says. He helps Bucky back onto his feet, ignoring the painful hiss Bucky makes as he sets both feet on the floor and they make their way to the bed.

After he’s got Bucky down, Steve’s come back from the car, even more soaked than before but with the kit in hand.

“Alright Bucky, I’m going to take these pants off you, it might hurt, so Steve here is going to sit up there and let you look into those blue eyes of his and you can get lost in them,” Tony jokes and jerks his head at Steve so he’ll take a place on the bed beside Bucky’s head.

“If you want in my pants, all you gotta do is ask babe,” Bucky retorts weakly, and Tony just shakes his head with a smile and gets to work on pulling the stained denim off.

Bucky only makes a small pained noise when Tony pulls past the two stab wounds bleeding on his thigh. Tony has to close his eyes as the sight of the blood makes his stomach twist, but he soldiers on and get Bucky’s jeans completely off.

Using the gauze from the first aid kit, Tony cuts some up and applies pressure to the wounds, willing Bucky’s healing to clot his blood faster. He brings his other hand up to press down onto Bucky’s groin, hoping that pressure on both the wound and a major artery will stop Bucky from bleeding so profusely.

He can hear Steve softly murmuring to Bucky, Tony lets the words wash over him as well, Steve is a good talker when he needs to be.

Bucky’s breathing is heavy but sounds clear, so Tony isn’t too worried about anything internal happening.

“Do one of you want to clue me in on why one of my boyfriends has come back to me as a human pin cushion?” Tony asks, now that he’s got the situation sorted mostly, he wants answers.

“We were ambushed outside of their safe-house, we got separated, and those jerks got two into Buck before I could break free and get us out of there,” Steve answers guiltily.

Steve looks so down about it, Tony’s heart hurts for him, Steve always takes an injury happening on his watch as a slight to his ability as a leader.

“Stevie, it wasn’t your fault, those bastards knew we were there somehow, you had no idea they’d know,” Bucky insists, already looking a bit more alert, more like he actually knows where he’s at.

Every mission so far had been effortless, they were bound to have a bad one. Tony’s just upset he hadn’t been there to help out, maybe it would have been different.

He must be making some kind of face, because then Steve reaches out to put his hand over Tony’s.

“I’m glad you were here Tony, it really helped me have the strength to drag Bucky all the way over knowing that you were waiting for us,” Steve says.

Tony just nods his head, “As long as you assholes never do that to me again, you couldn’t even send a text?” Tony asks, his earlier worries were entirely justified now.

Bucky and Steve share a look, “Right before we were caught, Stevie here dropped his phone into this puddle, thing was dead and the look on his face had me in stitches,” Bucky remembers with a laugh in his voice.

Steve fishes something out of his back pocket and hands Tony the fried little flip phone, “Remind me to insist you use one of my waterproof StarkPhone’s from now on,” Tony replies while shaking his head at them both.

Lifting up the gauze, Tony’s ensured that Bucky’s healing has completely clotted both wounds and he can let up on the pressure now.

“Okay Bucky, we’ve got to get you in the bath to wash out these wounds, and warm you up from the rain,” Tony announces, standing up from the bed and throwing away the bloody cloth.

Steve helps Bucky back up and all three of them squeeze into the small bathroom.

Tony starts the water and Steve gets himself and Bucky undressed, both of them needing to scrub away the grime they collected.

Steve and Bucky settle down into the tub, Bucky leaning back against Steve’s chest.

“M’gonna wash your hair Bucky, close your eyes,” Steve says as he wets and lathers up Bucky’s hair.

Tony makes work of dipping Bucky’s thigh into the water, slowly—so Bucky knows what to expect, and then running some saline solution over it to sterilize.

Now that they’re both squared away Tony makes his way back into the room, “I’m gonna order some food, be right back,” Tony yells to them both, before sitting back down onto the bed.

He makes a half attempt to grab his phone, but now that the adrenalines worn off, Tony’s hands are shaking.

It’s easy to put on a strong front when there’s a crisis, but in reality, Tony is shaken up.

He’s so lost in his head for awhile, Tony doesn’t hear the bath drain and Steve and Bucky walking back into the room.

“Tony, are you alright?” comes Steve’s voice inside the fog of his thoughts.

“What? —Yeah, I’m fine, just tired,” Tony replies, he can see that Steve has wrapped up Bucky’s thigh and they’re both now dry and clean.

They walk over to Tony, sitting down on either side of him.

“C’mon Tony, you’re not fine, you’re shaking like a leaf,” Bucky says, wrapping an arm over Tony’s shoulder to bring him closer.

Tony lets his walls down, curling into Bucky and lacing his fingers with the hand Steve offers.

“I was just so worried about you two, not knowing where you were, or what would happen, I couldn’t sleep at all last night without you, and when you come back hurt, I feel like it’s my fault, not being there for you,” Tony admits quietly.

Steve makes a tutting noise and squeezes Tony’s hand, “We told you to stay Tony, and it’s nobody’s fault but those agents that Bucky got hurt, we would have never not checked in either, that one is my fault for being so clumsy with my phone, we’re sorry you were so worried, we love you Tony,” Steve replies.

“Yeah doll, we don’t blame you at all, Steve’s a mess with his electronics, and I’m alright now, barely any pain left ‘cause you’ve taken care of me so well, where would be without you, huh?” Bucky adds on, rubbing his hand up and down Tony’s arm in a comforting motion.

“I love both of you idiots, and I’m never letting you out of my sight again,” Tony decides.

“Would never dream of it babe,” Bucky responds, with a kiss on Tony’s cheek.

“Yeah, I didn’t say anything earlier, with Buck bleeding and all, but I saw your suit in the trunk,” Steve says with a faux accusing tone.

“Did you really expect me to not to bring at least my suitcase armor?” Tony shoots back.

Steve leans forward to plant a kiss on Tony’s forehead, “I would never presume to know what to expect from you Tony,” he replies.

“I saw him pack it a week ago,” Bucky says, then shrugs at the affronted look both Tony and Steve send him, “You are a bit predictable in that arena.”

Tony just sighs and cuddles in closer to them both before Steve then gets up to actually order them some food, and Bucky makes Tony lay down with him, the exhaustion and blood loss finally catching up to him.

Without the worry hanging over his head, Tony can finally breathe clearly.

Tomorrow they can go back to that site, and continue erasing Hydra from the planet with Tony in tow, but for now they’re content with just this.

Being together.

 

**Author's Note:**

> this was fun and interesting to write
> 
> i've never done dialogue with bucky, so if anything sounds off or plain ooc feel free to give me some tips!
> 
> any and all feedback is welcomed and appreciated.


End file.
